Process of decorating paper



June 9, 1931. H. M. Ross 1,809,146

PRocEss oF DECORATING PAPER Filed Aug. 11. 1928 -PIE. l

A TTORNEYS;

Patented Jun'e 9, 1931 UNITEDy sTATEs PATENT OFFICE HARRY M. ROSS, FINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO IBEVERIDGE PAPER COMPANY,0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION PROCESS OF DECORATING PAPERApplication led August 11, 1928. Serial No. 298,927.

This invention relates toV a process and means for decorating paper, andparticularly that class of paper used for calendars, bristols, coverpaper, photo mounts, boxboard and the like, having a multi-colored orshaded surface or surfaces.

The object of the invention is to process a paper having a smoothsurface or a more or less embossed surface by brushlng a coloringmaterial thereon in streaks for effecting an appearance or surfacedecoration representing wood grains, or having a bark-like appearance,etc.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the yfollowing description and claims: v

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus for carrying outthe process. F 1g. 2 is a View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a plan view of the decorated surface of the paper. Fig. 4 is the sameas Fig. 3 showing the same surface upon a slightly embossed sheet. 4

In the drawings there is illustrated a paper roll which is suitablysupported to carry a roll of relatively heavy, smooth surfaced paper,which has a base color. The paper is drawn form the roll 10 about theguide roll 11 over the counter roll 12 and caused to pass between -saidcounter roll 12 and the embossing roll 13. The embossing roll isprovided with a suitable embossing surface 14 adapted to impress designsof various character in the paper. v As shown in Fig. 1, the embossingroll 13 is separated from the counter roll 12 so that the paper will notbe embossed and will present a smooth surface for receiving the coloringmaterial. As illsutrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the embossing roll13 may be lowered or adjusted to a position whereby it will engage andemboss the paper when desired. The roll 13 is adjustably mounted so thatthe extent o-r depth of the embossed design may be varied, whereby thepaper may have a very slight embossing to produce the desired results,such as illustrated in Fig. 4, as distinguished from a smooth surfacedpaper illustrated in Fig. 3. The paper is then carried under the guideroll 15 and about the brushing rolls 16 to the carrying roll 17.Positioned to one side of the brushing rolls 18 and having axes slightlyabove the axis thereof, there are corresponding coloring rolls 18. Y

The rolls above referred to are also suitably supported and driven inthe usual manner. However, the brushing rolls 16 are caused to rotate atsubstantially twice the speed of the paper passing thereabout. Thelspeed at which said rolls are driven may be varied in accordance withthe design desired. A greater or lesser speed willso effect theapplication of the coloring material as to alter the appearance of thedesign created thereby and thus different designs may be obtained bydiii'erent speeds of rotation of' the brushing roll 16 relative to thespeed of the paper passing thereabout..

A quantity of coloring material or paint 19 is carried between therespective brushing rolls 16 and coloring rol-ls v18, which rolls are incontact and caused to rotate inthe direction indicated by the arrows.The color-- ing material or paint 19 is thus applied -in a very thincoating, by reason of the close contact that the rolls 16 and 18 havewith the surfaces of the rolls 16, and carried thereby into contact withboth sides of the paper sheet 10. Whereas the apparatus is hereinillustrated as showing a pair of brushing rolls applied to oppositesides of the paper, if it is desired to treat only on'e surface of thepaper one of the rolls 16 may be eliminated so ar as lefectlve orcoloring contact with the aper is concerned, whereb either one or othsides of the paper may e treated either with the same color and designor with different colors and designs, depending upon the speed of therespective brushing rolls and the particular color used thereon.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the surfaces of the brushing rolls 16 are veryslightly tool marked to provide ridges and grooves running parallel witheach other about the surface thereof. Other designs may be obtained byvarying the slight markings of the surface such as scrolls, wavy linesor the like. The slightl marking of the surface of each of the brushingrolls, coupled with the speed of the rolls with respect to the paperpassing thereabout has the effect of streaking the colorinw materialover the surface of the paper, as i lustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Thisstreaked effeet gives the appearance, in some examples, of the grain ofwood, bark or the like, or may give a different effect, depending uponthe colors used, the speed of the rolls, and the design of the markings.The general effect thereof may be further altered by slightly embossingthe paper, as shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing it will be understood that not only can an effectivedesign be obtained in avery simple and inexpensive manner, but thepossibilities of different designs and appearances which may be createdare unlimited.

Whereas it has above been mentioned that the rolls operated at a greaterspeed t-han the paper, the same effect and process may be employedwherein commercially practical, by operating the paper at a greaterspeed than the rolls.A In other words, the effect is obtained by varyingthe relative speed between the rolls and the paper. i

Wherein the paper is embossed so as to be provided with elevations anddepressions as above described, it will be apparent that the brushingroll or rolls with the coloring matter thinly applied to the surfacethereof will engage only the elevations on the embossed paper and notthe depressions, whereby the brushing roll will streak the coloringmaterial over the elevations of. the embossed surface while leaving thedepressions thereof free from such coloring material.

The invention claimed is:

The process of decorating paper, consisting in passing the paper about abrushing roll having a tool marked surface, thinly applying a coloringmaterial to said roll so as to cause said roll to apply said material tothe surface of the paper, and operating said roll at a greater speedthan the paper passing thereabout for causing t-he tool marked rolll tostraek the coloring material over the surface thereof.

2. The process of decorating paper, consisting in passing the paperabout a brushing roll having a tool marked cylindrical surface,

thinly applying coloring material to said roll, sov as to cause saidroll to apply said material to thesurface of the paper, and varying therelative speeds of the paper and roll for obtaining different designsformed by the streaking of the coloring material ovei` the surface ofthe paper by said tool marks at different speeds.

3. The process of decorating paper, consisting in forming a slightlyembossed design therein, passing the slightly embossed paper about abrushing roll having a tool marked cylindrical surface, thinly applyinga coloring material to said roll so as to cause said roll to apply saidmaterial to thel slight ele,-

4. An apparatus for decorating paper in` cluding a coloring roll havinga cylindrical surface, about which the paper is adapted to be passed incontact therewith, a pluralityof tool marks formed on the surface ofsaid roll for engagement with the paper, means for applying a thin coatof coloring material to the surface of said roll, and means foroperating said roll ata greater speed than the paper passing thereaboutfor causing said tool marks to streak the coloring material thereover.

5. The process of decorating paper, consisting in forming a slightlyembossed design thereon, passing the slightly embossed paper about abrushing roll having a tool marked surface, and thinly applying acoloring material to said roll so as to cause said roll to apply saidmaterial to the embossed surface of the paper with markings caused bythe tool marks the roll while leaving the depressions thereof free fromsuch coloring material.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

A HARRY M. ROSS.

